#stage two

Plants vs Zombies [hereafter will be PVZ] was one of the most iconic tower defense games and my childhood game🎮.

Created by PopCap Games, the series was gaining a lot of love❤️for its fun gameplay. However, recent development show the company has become greedier💸.

An example is Plant vs Zombie Replanted, the remake version of the classic Plant vs Zombie has received criticism😡for missing nostalgic elements; some players accuse the game was using AI asset🤖, and lack of music🎵, sound effect🎶, and features🎮.

The addition of microtransactions, gacha systems, “pay-to-win” model 💰, and balance issues⚖️ in Plants vs. Zombies 2 and Plants vs Zombies 3 Evolved.

Because of this, fan-made PVZ mods became the only way for best PVZ experience and save the franchise. This is participatory culture (Jenkins, 2006), where fans are not just consume it. Instead, fan start to modify it themselves.

🌱 What PVZ mod I played? 

Two PVZ mod I played are PVZ2 Reflourished and PVZ Fusion, but I will talk about PVZ2 Reflourished🕒. PVZ2 Reflourished is an expansion mod that continue after the event of Modern Day34 in PVZ2. The mod introduced expansion level for each world, exclusive world🗺️, new plants🌱 and zombies🧟 from the Chinese version of PVZ2 and fan made plants.

Recently, Reflourished received an update which introduce Fairytale Forest, featuring news storyline📖alongside with new plants🌱 and zombies🧟.

🔥Why Make This Mods so Peak?

The mods so peak because of creativity and passion of the PVZ fan. Unlike the official version of PVZ2 which focused on monetisation, Reflourished prioritise and balance gameplay experience🎯.

PVZ2 Reflourished offer:

1️⃣No Microtransaction 💸🚫

2️⃣Rework plants ability for better strategy 🌱

3️⃣New zombie with new mechanics 🧟

4️⃣New world🗺️, levels and stories📖

5️⃣Balance changes in each update ⚖️

6️⃣Fan made music🎵

Instead of using paywalls model, Reflourished focus on strategy, enjoyment and progression. This allow players to experience the best PVZ experience🌻✨.

✨Conclusion

Overall, PVZ mods are an example of how the creative power of the fans can be used to save and enhance a beloved video game❤️🎮. Despite the official version fades, the community carries on PVZ alive through innovation, passion and shared nostalgia✨.

📚Reference

Duan, H., Liu, Y., & Cai, W. (2026). User-Generated Content and Editors in Games: A Comprehensive Survey. ACM Transactions on Multimedia Computing, Communications and Applications.

Jenkins, H. (2006). Welcome to convergence culture. Henry Jenkins, 19, 1-6.

*It is very important to you to allow your Honey Bo and Coral to help select the new members of the family since they need to feel comfortable with these new lamias. You’re still chatting with Vex about the new lamias you’d like to add to your family when a Corny drops from the ceiling with a plop! A piece of duct tape is still stuck to his middle. Thankfully, Nutmeg the Papython prevents disaster by catching the Corny, but no explanation is ever forthcoming about why exactly the Corny was taped to the ceiling to begin with. Instead, he just grins lazily and apologizing for “dropping in.” Your other two lamias snort at the pun, so you consider the Corny selection a success.

*Your Felids are practically vibrating with excitement to meet a King, so you decide to stop at the King nesting area next. You watch as the Kings flare their hoods, bow, and begin their displays. Not to be outdone, your Felids hop out of their carrying bag to join in on the flexing and showing off. You notice that the King you’ve been eyeing (he’s so strong and handsome!) seems particularly enamored with the Felids. His eyes are sparkling with joy at their antics. You mentally check the King off of your list of adoptions as he helps you corral your rambunctious Felids back into their bag.

*Next, you’re looking for a Krait and FireRing, and from what Vex has told you, it’s easy to find these lamias already paired up. Your Papython is preoccupied with carrying the Corny who is exchanging jokes with Saffron the Honey Bo, but Cinnamon the sassy Coral is paying very close attention to the Kraits and FireRings as you approach them. A FireRing approaches you with a whiteboard, but when you introduce yourself in sign language his flames crackle with joy. Cinnamon watches the silent conversation before waving for attention and very slowly spelling out his own name, followed by a rather crude sign language gesture. 

*You didn’t know that Cinnamon had learned a bit of sign language, and you’re proud of him, although maybe not quite proud of the fact that he has to include that particular gesture with his name. The FireRing doesn’t miss a beat, signing a friendly hello to Cinnamon, including the added the sign at the end of his name. The Krait with the FireRing waves shyly at your Coral, who nods in acknowledgement. Then Cinnamon does something very interesting.

*Cinnamon the Coral slither down from your hood to the front pocket of your hoodie. Staring directly at the Krait, he pushes the pocket open wide. You’re still conversing in sign language with the FireRing, and you watch out of the corner of your eye as the Krait sneakily slithers into the offered pocket. Cinnamon then returns to his lofty personal perch in your hood. The FireRings flames dance with amusement as you help him join his friend in the hoodie pocket.

[While the girl had felt significantly better than she had the days before, being released from the infirmary meant she had to go back to her regular schedule. Which, conveniently for the uninfected, meant every well-enough infected citizen had to resume chores even if they no longer had their infection abilities.]

This is bullshit. [Isha began muttering to herself while she sanitized a table with special wipes that dried out her hands.] I’d like to see the chancellor get his fucking hands dirty for once. [Isha could feel her sour mood growing inside her with each lemon-scented wipe she pulled out of the container.]

[Suddenly she heard a noise behind her and realized that she wasn’t just talking to herself. She whipped her head around to see who the lurker was, growing slightly red in the cheeks. She really hoped it wasn’t the devil himself.] Oh, sorry I thought I was alone.

Stage 1: Eye twitching & full body shaking

Eye drops & small doses of sedatives

Stage 2: Nose bleeds, coughing, numbness

Tissues & water

Stage 3: Hallucinations, paranoia, & nightmares

RESTRAIN

Stage 4: Violent thoughts/urges & mood swings

QUARANTINE

Stage 5: ɹǝpɐƆʇƎp

Pestilence himself is the image of a dying man, nothing but a bag of skin and bones, and nothing but a few wisps of pure white hair on his liver-spotted head. His arms and hands are covered in open sores, and his skin is dry and cracked. His wheezing breaths are labored, and he moves with a hideous limp.

He makes his way to the throne at the far end of the atrium and sinks into it, letting out a soft sigh of relief. “Now, tell me why you are here.”

Mallory bows her head respectfully. “I have come for the cure.”

Pestilence lets out a dusty laugh. “Of course, of course! They all come for that.” He grows serious. “You know what that entails, correct?” She nods. “Well, then. Let’s begin, shall we? No time to waste.” He barks a command and the lingering Morbi hiss and growl, closing in to circle Mallory.

The first Morbus charges her before she can react and bowls her over, sinking its claws into her shoulders. She hisses in pain and throws it off, but it’s too late. She can feel the sickness it injected her with taking effect.

She rolls to her feet, but nearly topples over as her vision swims. Her blood is like burning fire in her veins. Nevertheless, she stays standing until the effects subside. She meets Pestilence’s gaze, determination in her eyes.

“Oooh, you dimension jumpers are resilient, I’ll give you that. But how much pain are you willing to endure?”

The next Morbus leaps at her, and she sidesteps, but not quick enough. She feels its claws graze her cheek. A second later, a burst of pain lights up the inside of her skull, and pain seizes her limbs. She still refuses to fall.

Two more rounds of this, the Morbi never failing to hit her, and each affliction worse than the last. It’s a struggle to stay standing, but she does, her eyes frosting over as her body tries to keep up.

The next hit is a long cut on her forearm, and almost immediately black veins shoot up her arm and crawl up her neck, spreading all over her body. Her body seizes violently and she finally falls, blood and flecks of foam dripping from her mouth. When the seizure passes, she makes no move to get up, her breathing labored as she tries to recover. The black veins recede.